


One Night in Wonderland

by lunaseemoony



Series: For Who You Are [2]
Category: Secret Diary of a Call Girl (TV), The Politician's Husband
Genre: Costume Parties & Masquerades, Declarations Of Love, F/M, Outdoor Sex, Public Sex, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-01
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-05 18:10:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6715756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunaseemoony/pseuds/lunaseemoony
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eager to further his relationship with Hannah, Aiden pushes too quickly. When he has her feeling unsupported in her new job, they spend some time apart to truly appreciate one another. Aiden grows to miss Hannah too much, and shamelessly tempts her with a night at a masquerade ball where they're reminded of the simple pleasures that brought them together in the first place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Night in Wonderland

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KTRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KTRose/gifts).



> This follows For Who You Are. I would probably suggest reading it first. :)

 

Aiden Hoynes had never looked flashier in his life, not even at his wedding (especially not at his wedding). He’d been to plenty of galas, balls, charity events, and every fancy dress event conceivable in London. But this evening marked his first masquerade ball. It was yet another breed of charity event, this one for a womens’ charity. He wouldn’t have bothered so much with his attire if it wasn’t for Hannah. He’d invited her along, and the paparazzi awaited him outside the private estate the ball was held at with the hopes of catching a glimpse of her. But Aiden stepped out of the town car alone. They snapped a few photos and marked their disappointment by slinking back into the shadows. Aiden held onto the slim chance that Hannah would show, but he wasn’t about to supply the nosy weasels with this information. He had a vice grip on hope as he stepped into the ball room. It was early yet, but he scanned the room for her all the same. The trick was, however, that even if she was here, she’d be difficult to spot.

The ballroom’s lights had been turned off in favor of golden candle trees around the perimeter that blended in with the dark cream and gold walls. The candlelight danced against the faces of the less brave attendees while the bold ventured onto the dim dance floor. Around a hundred of London’s finest would be in attendance this evening, or so Aiden had been told. The vast ballroom already looked like it was filling up. The night was young and the crowd would only thicken, making spotting someone tricky. Factoring in the dim light and costumes made the task even harder. He wasn’t entirely against this.

Aiden felt the amount of money he’d pissed away for his costume this evening was shameful. The one person who’d disagree entirely, the one he’d gone to all the trouble for, wasn’t even there to see it. Yet! Yet. She’d show. And she’d be proud of his choice of outfit. He _did_ pay attention to all of her incessant nattering about fashion, particularly when she picked at his outfits. He was dressed to impress today, and he’d be damned before walking out of that estate before _somebody_ noticed. When Aiden sauntered into the thick of the crowd, eyes around him turned his way and euphoria bubbled over his skin as champagne tickled his tongue. His tailor was overly enthusiastic upon hearing that the suit was for a masquerade, and probably went a bit overboard. He’d dressed Aiden in a slim dark chocolate cashmere suit, light taupe oxford, a paisley teal waistcoat with matching tie, and dark teal leather shoes. He wore solid gold cuff links, watch, and belt buckle. His mask, curved into the shapes of feathers on one side, was chocolate and gold with green, teal, and yellow sequins on it made to look like peacock feathers.

Yes, Aiden spent a small fortune on this one masquerade costume. He wasn’t the only one in flashy dress. About half of the guests in the crowd went his route. Others interpreted the idea of a masquerade playfully, like a teenage costume party. But he couldn’t care less about any of them. He’d gone to all the trouble of trusting his tailor’s wild ideas and adorning himself with this bright attire for Hannah and nobody else. Of course for a moment he didn’t particularly mind a bit of light flirting with the leggy brunette leaning into him. She was dressed up as what he guessed was a bird of some sort. But she was either a lightweight or drinking entirely too much, because the ball had only just begun and she was fawning all over him as if half drunk. He peeled her off and sought some liquid courage of his own at the bar.

Hannah showing up meant so much more than her forgiving him. Showing the woman he loved how much he cared for her was already a monumental task before factoring in that this woman was Hannah Baxter, a woman that was very much a tigress trapped in a house cat’s body. She was desperate for and deserving of so much love, but would never be tamed. She demanded a lot of space while craving affection. Hannah was an impossible woman that he couldn’t live without. No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t convince her of this. It didn’t helped that he’d royally fucked up.

Hannah tolerated Aiden’s desire for a closed relationship. And after he exposed her to the public she couldn’t work as an escort anyway. At the last minute Hannah backed out of moving in with him, opting instead to go out to get a proper job. She’d tried and failed before when she had a choice. When there were none she busied herself for a few months hopping from one job to the next, until she settled. At least he thought she’d settled. It seemed like she had. She’d passed the three week mark and seemed happy, so he had hope. Hannah made it clear that despite ruining her job she loved him and was willing to make sacrifices for him.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Aiden told Hannah that she ought to find a career for herself rather than another job. She’d told him of her horribly failed attempt at getting a job for Alex. “Play to your strengths, Hannah,” Aiden coached. Well, all right. She _had been_ , that was just it. She’d had a very successful career already, and fuck did it ever pay well. He’d been her most prestigious client. “But you can get any job you want. People will be chomping at the bit to hire the deputy PM’s girlfriend. Just you wait and see, Han.” He was right, the cocky bastard.

Inside of a week Hannah landed herself a secretary position at her former client Liam’s law firm, which turned out to be the law firm from hell. Her first experience there clouded her perception of the whole deal, apparently. She thought it’d be all mini skirts, taking notes and sitting pretty on Liam’s desk. That’s what it was like on telly, at least. The other secretaries made bloody certain that was far from what Hannah would experience. The firm had its own secret hierarchy that screwed her over the moment she stepped in the door. Being associated with Aiden got her in, but once she was there she learned the secretaries really lorded it over everyone. Hannah was used to this at least. The head secretary had bagged herself one of the lawyers and wasn’t remotely shy about letting Hannah know about it. She didn’t have the heart to tell the snobby control freak that she was very certain her husband was one of Discreet Elite’s regulars. But she reconsidered when the upstart made sure Hannah was assigned to four junior lawyers. Three weeks of twelve hour work days later, Hannah quit. She wasn’t anyone’s slave, she wasn’t having the drama, and she definitely wasn’t having the carpal tunnel from all the typing.

At least coming up with jobs was easier this time around. Hannah wasn’t just looking for something that would pay her bills. She was after a career, following Aiden’s advice. Recent experiences stateside turned her away from acting, which was a shame because she figured she could be good at it. Half of her work as an escort was acting anyway. That at least brought her to the idea of massage therapy. She was good at this too, bloody good. She’d been booked solid for two weeks after her first day. But she was fired for yelling at a customer that wanted more services than she was willing to offer, so to speak. Aiden didn’t much approve of her next choice of working at a sex shop. He couldn’t argue her qualifications though. She already owned half of its stock. She gave this one a few days, quitting after learning how remarkably boring it was. It wasn’t much different from working at any other shop. People talked even less than they would at other stores. More than once she got in trouble for slacking off.

But she was on the right track at least. The next place she tried was one of her favorite clothing stores working as a shop girl (again). At least there she could keep herself entertained by dressing up and bankrupting customers. She was bloody good at it. Nobody could take that away from her. The one downside all these jobs had in common was the drama of working with others. Working as an escort spoiled her too much. All she ever needed to do was sit through one meet a week. Hannah was stuck with all manner of termites all day long, several days a week in any of these given jobs, particularly at the clothing store. All she needed to hear was the word ‘commission’ to stay out of it all, not that she needed much motivating. Nothing would quite compare to escorting money wise. But commissions brought home a pretty penny at least. That and chatting up the customers kept her busy.

She was glad for it one day when she met one of the editors for InStyle magazine. In an instant excitement and impulse got adrenaline pumping through her veins and gooseflesh washing over her skin. Leap before you look, that was Hannah. And she was proud of it on days like that when good old lady luck smiled her way. Typically Hannah didn’t get along with women as much as she did men, but she put on her best schmoozing that day. Schmoozed her way right into a position as a reviewer and kissed the clothing store goodbye. Somebody really wanted to pay her to talk about fashion all day. It took at least a week for this thought to truly sink in. She required a lot of training, knowing next to nothing about editing. Working with Duncan on her two books didn’t bend the learning curve in her favor nearly as much as it should have.

This job wasn’t as busy as the law firm, but Hannah brought it home with her. She hadn’t been motivated enough to really make a job work like she did this one. She didn’t care that half of the staff turned their noses up at her because she was the deputy PM’s girlfriend or they found out about her books. If she wanted to write a piece that would make it into the sleek pages of InStyle UK she had to work hard. A couple weeks in the work stopped being for Aiden and became a source of pride for Hannah. For once she was working a clean job, and despite how exhausting it was she was _happy_.

Except that Aiden wasn’t. His intention with encouraging her to find work was made abundantly clear when he complained about her being so busy. More than once. He was happy to see her leave the law firm, and had no complaints about the others. She’d only had to talk him down from a rage when she told him about her pervy massage client the one time. But once she’d begun working at the magazine everything changed. It was clear across town, nowhere near Whitehall or his house. Hannah worked long hours and had little spare time between playing catch up and perfecting her first articles. Aiden was simultaneously supportive of Hannah and petulant about her lack of time for him. Their relationship was more convenient for him when it was scheduled around him.

Aiden was trying to slowly fit Hannah into the mold that he missed with his ex-wife. She could see with her own eyes how well that worked out for him the first time. He wanted a cookie cutter girlfriend, but that’s not who he fell in love with. It was starting to look like every other relationship that Hannah had tried and failed miserably at. So when he complained she pushed back. She should’ve known he’d stand his ground.

She’d spent the past few months struggling with her inadequacies. She didn’t worry so much when she could mask them with Belle. But Aiden was one of Britain’s most powerful men. She’d been under the impression that he’d want to stand next to a respectable woman. Admittedly she didn’t care until she landed the magazine position. While she was starting to nurture a a sense of pride, Aiden was worrying about how independent she was.

What was it about her that had men feeling so insecure? That’s what she boiled it down to at east. Aiden’s refusal to share was no secret to Hannah. She’d thought that was specifically related to other men. But he didn’t want to share her time either, despite her promises that her long hours weren’t permanent. They began having rows over it when they did make time for one another. Hannah reminded Aiden that she never once complained about how busy he was. Aiden’s work was far more demanding than hers, and they both knew it. He accused her of being unreasonable, and she called him petulant. The floor of their relationship was crumbling beneath her feet.

His idea of making up for his behavior was another proposal for her to move in with him so that he could at least come home to her every day. But the more they argued the more Hannah wanted to slow everything down. She couldn’t let one more relationship fail. Not this one, not Aiden. Hannah had days when she was unsure of how she felt about Aiden. That was her warning that something had to be done. But she did know she wasn’t done. She certainly didn’t want to wreck what they had by rushing.

Aiden blew up in a rage when Hannah turned him down. She ran out of his house in tears and hadn’t spoken to him in two weeks. The one exception was when she rang after he texted telling her Ruby missed her. And though he’d been telling the truth, he still seized his opportunity to communicate with her by sending a note along with Ruby when Hannah picked her up to show her around the office.

It was a short note, telling her how he loved and missed her. She swore she smelled her favorite cologne of his on it. Tucked inside the note was an engraved invitation to the masquerade ball. He was clever, she’d give him that. It had been ages since Hannah had been able to dress up like Belle and go out just for fun. She didn’t want to think about what his motives might have been. Did he need some arm candy? Was this a big function masked as a bit of fun and dance? Did he think he could just change her mind with a bit of bribery?

“So what are you going to do?”

A pair of dark doe eyes peered up at her, silently pleading. She’d forgotten Ruby was in the car with her.

“What?”

“To the ball.” She grinned.

To a nine-year-old girl the answer was simple. Ruby loved her dad dearly. She’d taken to Hannah quickly when she saw how happy he was.

“He told you?”

Ruby bit her lip and looked away. Little sneak. “He really misses you. You didn’t break up with him did you? He’s acting like he did when mum left.”

“No, we didn’t break up. It’s just been rough lately is all. Your dad and I want different things.”

She shot up in her seat. “Are you _going_ to break up then?”

Ruby was teaching her patience with children. “No, sweetheart. I love your dad.”

This rough patch felt like trudging through a storm, and these words were an umbrella. She ought to have reminded herself every day. Not that she’d give in to him. Aiden didn’t need to win. But she might have rang him sooner. (Or at all.)

“Mum loved him too but she still left.” Her eyes were burrowing into the foot well and her little mouth was curled into a deep frown.

“Oh. Well. I’m sure she still…” she had to swallow this thought, like sour milk, before she could speak it, “loves him, in her own way.”

Ruby shook her head. “Mum said she can’t stand him. Mum said dad’s dating a whore, whatever that means.”

Hannah’s face paled as the blood drained from it. Did Aiden know the mother of his children spoke like this within earshot of them?

“Don’t use that word Ruby. It’s not a nice thing to call someone.”

“Oh.”

Thank goodness for the innocence of children.

“I’m not breaking up with your dad, okay?” Hannah reached for the little girl’s hand and wrapped hers around it. “We’re just having a rough patch. We’ll be fine.”

“You should go to the ball. It’ll help.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Aiden figured he and Hannah needed to get away from all of their stressors. They needed a few hours to appreciate what attracted them to each other in the first place. He hoped she’d agree. Their problems didn’t disappear just because he covered them up in glittered masks with couture costumes. He was simply hoping to distract Hannah long enough to talk to her. They’d also gone a while without her being Belle, and he imagined she missed it, even if she never said. That had to contribute to their issues a little. And she loved her new career so much that she didn’t factor in the toll it’d take on her body and stress levels. And though Hannah was becoming a new woman before his eyes, he still missed the one that missed him at the end of the day. The measures he took to fix the problem proved to be too drastic.

The long and short of it was he missed her. And she seemed to be waiting for him to make the next move. She was waiting for him to back down, tell her he’d been wrong, and that he was pushing her too fast. If they met up tonight she’d expect him to tell her this much. And maybe in a small way she was right. Their relationship was born of his promise to take care of her. But she never needed it. She especially didn’t _want_ it. He’d caught her when she was feeling vulnerable. It didn’t sit well with him, but it made him that much more eager to build a stronger relationship with her. Hannah wanted to feel like she was in control. A tigress didn’t want to be fed a steak platter. She wanted to hunt.

Only right then it was Aiden that was doing all the hunting. The estate was easily the size of a small museum he figured, and was packed with long corridors, dozens of rooms, and the exterior was surrounded by a maze of gardens. If Hannah was there and wanted to be easily found she’d have been in the ballroom. She was not.

_looking for me?_

His mobile rang with her assigned bell tone.

_Are you here then?_

_yeah_

_Where are you?_

_come find me_

_Not in the mood for games, Han._

But he didn’t send that last message. He tapped the backspace feverishly when he imagined her foxy grin. She wanted to play. This wasn’t entirely a bad thing if it put her in a good mood. He could easily use this to his advantage.

 _You_ _’re not having me on? You’re really here?_

 _spotted you at the bar just now. you_ _’re working your way through a scotch on the rocks. had your mask up for a bit._

 _I_ _’m going to find you, Han._

She didn’t answer. She had the upper hand by pure dumb luck. Maybe she’d arrived long before he had. Maybe she’d spotted him the moment he walked through the front door. She already knew what he looked like. He didn’t let this dampen his resolve in the slightest. He’d come with clear goals tonight. And if playing Hannah’s little game would help him achieve them he was all for it.

He began his search in earnest by sweeping one long hallway on the first floor. He doubted she’d let herself get caught in the ballroom. But he figured she wouldn’t stray too far. She’d want to watch his eager hunt for her. She’d want to drink in his frustration. So he prowled through the crowd, slowly sweeping all of the spots that had a good line of sight to the ballroom. Somewhere nearby a blonde bombshell was giggling at him and his efforts. As he painstakingly searched the rooms on the first floor he was catching her in his mind, nipping those giggles of hers into throaty moans of pleasure, whispering his name on her exquisite lips. Seeing other singles hunting for partners had excitement buzzing up his legs as he rounded a corner to venture down one of the long corridors. While others meandered Aiden hunted, a purpose driving his every step.

The whole estate was cloaked in suitably antiquated ornate, deep-colored wallpapers with delightfully creaky wooden floors and plush velvet carpets. The heavy floral curtains in every room were splashed with golden candlelight. No matter where Aiden roamed the atmosphere of a ball easily held a century ago was not lost. The only difference was the company and the costumes. That and the hired guard detail stationed around the corners of ever corridor. Aside from the heavy flirting and drinking in some of the quieter, more vacant rooms everyone was behaving themselves as would be expected of the affluent guests in attendance. Hannah would be bored out of her skull within a few minutes. If she wasn’t playing their little game in earnest, weaving from crowd to crowd and room to room she’d find herself plopped in one of the estate’s stuffy old chairs with a light drink in one hand and a glint in her eyes for people-watching. He was banking on the latter if he hoped to catch her before the end of the ball. Assuming it ever would. The night was young and full of possibilities. These things went on for hours. A grandfather clock chimed the hour, marking the half hour spent looking for Hannah with no sighting of her. He wanted to be thorough before even checking upstairs.

He knew the moment he spotted her. The sight of her tingled down his spine and settled low in his abdomen. Aiden peered into a sitting room he’d checked once before on his first tour of the main floor. Tucked away in a chair beneath a candle tree was a cat dressed in black leather and gold trim, wearing a strapless corset top with a scandalously short skirt and matching kitten heels with straps around her ankles. He didn’t need to wonder which closet the leather collar and bracelets came from. If it wasn’t a masquerade they’d be overkill. She’d fixed her hair into a half updo with golden ringlets cascading down her neck and shoulders. Aiden backed into the doorway and clutched the frame. Fuck, she owned the room. Everyone else was occupied, but all eyes frequently wandered in the direction of the mysteriously quiet black cat perched in the corner, hidden behind a sparkling black and gold mask. The men sized her up, eyes stopping on her deliciously bare legs and cleavage bursting from her corset. None of them had the stones to approach her. Excitement was stirring deep inside him, but this catch was too easy. Too safe. He wanted her unawares. He wanted the game to continue.

He watched as she fished her mobile from between her breasts.

 _well i can_ _’t go hiding if you’re going to stay planted to that door aiden_

Aiden did as she bid and extracted himself from the door frame, fighting the hunger to steal Hannah’s gaze before rounding the corner into the corridor.

_Having fun love?_

_you_ _’re awful at this you know. i’ve spotted you loads of times already._

He started walking down the dim corridor knowing she’d be close behind him. Would she follow or carve her own direction?

 _How do we know we_ _’re through?_

 _dunno but i_ _’ll let you know when i work that out_

_Will you though?_

_maybe. go on then, mr deputy pm. do your thing. i_ _’ll be around_

_I want you Han_

_how?_

_Not gonna give it away. Not yet._

_tease_

_You should talk._

With that the game was on again. Aiden tangoed the fine line between exhilaration and anger. Just seeing Hannah ratcheted up the brand of plans he had for her once she was in his clutches. He’d have her up against a wall, hips nestled between her luscious thighs and lips latched to her neck as the candlelight flickered across her breasts. He’d have her at home in _his_ bed with one set of fingers between a pair of damp lips while the other worked agonizingly slowly at the laces on her corset. He couldn’t decide which he wanted more. Part of Aiden relished the idea of getting caught with his trousers round his ankles and a lady’s legs wrapped tight around his hips. The other part wanted Hannah all to himself. They hadn’t even spoken about where they stood, giving a slightly taboo flavor to all of these thoughts. Meanwhile he replayed the image of his wildcat in his mind. She was perfectly composed, relaxed even, while he was a basket full of pent up energy built up over their time apart. Hannah must have known she had him in the best spot, stupidly desperate to utter whatever words would find himself in her good graces again. He wanted to soak up her smile, bask in her sweet sounds of happiness, and drink in her pleasure.

Aiden quickly learned that when Hannah truly wanted to hide she wouldn’t be found. He caught sight of her much quicker in the second round than the first. Then again, she was engaged in conversation with a man while perched on a railing at the top of a staircase like a little kid on a swing. At first glance this resembled an innocent conversation between acquaintances. Aiden hid in their blind spot at the foot of the stairs spying on them while wishing he could hear them over the din. Aiden couldn’t for the life of him comprehend why Hannah would give such an oafish man the time of day unless he was related to her work somehow. But given how he was dressed he doubted it. A pit sank in his stomach when he realized this slightly stout older man _was_ related to her work. Hannah didn’t have to play along with his shameless advances. She could’ve hopped off the railing and been on her way. And what did she even see in him? Did that factor into her work? Did she have the option of turning down this portly, arrogant sod if she wanted?

The longer he waited there watching him try to get in her knickers, laying his grubby paws on her thigh, the more incensed Aiden became. But an enraged Hannah would be in his future if he interfered. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and wanted to pulverize the rock. He slowly crept up the stairs with the hopes his mask would be enough to conceal his identity while he attempted to eavesdrop. He turned his back and got caught in the middle of the staircase in a conversation with an elderly woman he really ought to have remembered. But he was just within earshot.

“So he’s not a client? You’re not his mistress?”

“He’s not your business is what he is Harold,” Hannah played. “You really chatting me up just for some gossip?”

“Well I thought we might have a bit of fun.”

“I don’t do that anymore.”

Restraint. Restraint. Aiden couldn’t do his job or romance Hannah from prison, even if he could erase her past by pommeling this poor excuse for a man.

“I’ll pay you double Belle,” he offered. Aiden didn’t want to turn around and look for fear of seeing him snaking a hand up her thigh or a lustful gaze burrowing into her chest.

“I’ll pay you double to fuck off, Harold. Let go.”

“You can put on these fancy clothes and hang yourself on his arm sweetheart but that doesn’t change -”

There was no mistaking the sound of skin smacking skin, a sharp clap sliced through the pleasantries around them, stifling the room. All eyes turned to investigate but Hannah was already halfway down the hall upstairs weaving herself into another crowd. Harold was left to fend for himself. And no amount of straightening his coat and waistcoat would reclaim his dignity for him. He held his head up high and strode down the steps to the front doors, fleeing the scene. As well he should, Aiden thought. He liked not being in prison.

_You okay Han?_

_i wish you hadn_ _’t seen that_

_Did he hurt you?_

_no i_ _’m fine_

_Do you want to leave?_

_no aiden i_ _’m fine_

_Where are you?_

_library. Upstairs, left, at the end of the hall_

Just like that their little game ended. He’d been so eager only a minute ago to get to her, to do and say whatever Hannah wanted to hear to slip into her good graces. As he neared the end of the long hallway he longed to extend the game and playfully deprive himself of her for a while longer. Victory would taste so much sweeter when they finally did call it a game. Copping out was its own reward if it meant her opening up to him after their grueling time apart. Aiden loved Hannah so much, and the words threatened to take flight from his chest like doves at sunrise when he opened the shut library door and spotted her on the balcony overlooking a garden. He closed the door behind him and nodded at security at the end of the hall. Aiden quietly shuffled through the dusty little library and joined Hannah on the balcony, enfolding her in his arms as he wrapped them around her waist. He waited a moment, testing the waters with what would be allowed. He sighed relief when her shoulders eased down.

“I’m not ashamed of my work,” Hannah blurted out mere seconds into their embrace.

So not totally relaxed then. He nuzzled her bare shoulder, drinking in her new perfume in deep, heaving breaths. His lips latched to her shoulder all on their own, eager for a taste to couple with the subtle woody and floral notes flooding his nose. He remembered his place quickly and released a bit of her well-loved shoulder from his lips with a sigh and a peck for good measure. His hips swayed on their own to the tune of the muffled chamber orchestra downstairs and dozens of lonely crickets playing tunes to entice loves of their own.

“Nobody said you should be,” Aiden murmured, only a tick above a whisper. His eyes grew heavy with the overwhelming feeling of completeness that came with his love safely wrapped in his arms. They fluttered shut against her neck as he schooled his breaths, steadying them along with the subtle swell in groin that her proximity nurtured. “Fuck I missed you Hannah.” She leaned her head to gently sit on his and sighed. “Hannah,” he echoed into her collarbone.

The ice from his second scotch rattled in the half full glass on the balcony railing. Her name was a much stronger proof than any scotch he’d sampled. Normally she rolled her eyes at this. But in this brief moment she kicked her head back, resting it on his shoulder and sighed as he crooned her name on a husky breath. Her shiver bucked against his hips as it traveled down her back.

“Don’t think you can charm your way off the hook.” He opened his mouth to speak and she added, “And don’t think you can spout a bunch of lines to get in my knickers either.”

They were above denial. She knew how badly he wanted her. She knew his every fantasy and desire. She’d milked them from him long before he seduced her real name from her lips. She knew he was half hard just thinking about her. He’d have her right here on the balcony moaning into the bed of stars above with a backdrop of fairy lights and lanterns silhouetting her creamy skin and slender frame.

Hannah didn’t want an apology. She wanted validation and to feel like Aiden’s equal. How was he supposed to tell her she’d never be that way to him? He’d tried once but she passed him off as being a horny, red-blooded male trying to get in her knickers as always. He tried to tell her once that she was his temple, clichés be damned. Seeing someone else trying to charm his way into her company nailed home this idea, stupid as it sounded. He’d never wanted to see, protecting his admittedly fragile sense of adequacy. That man made Aiden feel woefully inadequate in a way that was far worse. It had him asking himself how he was even different from the rest of them? Is this what the others went through? For a while Aiden was content with being the last one, assuming nobody would follow him. Now questions of how many times Hannah had been with - client or otherwise - someone that was better than him buzzed in his mind and stung his confidence.

“You make me so selfish Hannah,” Aiden admitted after dislodging himself from her. It was his own fault for souring the moment. He realized this. He clawed the marble railing while convincing himself that line was the truth rather than an excuse. He’d had his magnum opus all rehearsed prior to stepping through those estate doors, but his newfound nerves gobbled it up. Aiden Hoynes, the man who could face parliament without breaking a sweat was brought down by a beautiful woman. “And I’m not sorry for wanting to spend more time with you. We go together. You ground me in a way nobody else does. I really can’t apologize for wanting to be with you whenever I can. I won’t. But I want you to be happy. And the world should hear what you have to say -”

“About fashion.”

“About fashion. Yes.”

He puffed a sigh and leaned on the railing, eyes tracing the fairy lights on the trees ahead. Tucked into the trees the way they were, they resembled the stars above. They made him feel like he could pluck one right from the sky and place in a velvet-lined box just Hannah. She _was_ a bright star, the only light he needed in the dark. And just like a star, at times she seemed unreachable. Aiden wanted to tell her to stop running from them and the inevitable. But what was inevitable for him wasn’t for Hannah yet, he realized. He’d always be a few steps ahead, surging forward and wondering why she was several steps behind. She told him she loved him and that what time together they had should have been enough. It seems like a simple matter doesn’t it? Two people together, one wanting more than the other was willing to offer. Aiden was never a man to appreciate what he had if he could get more. But if he didn’t appreciate Hannah more she wouldn’t hesitate to move on. She’d done it before. It didn’t matter that Aiden was the Deputy Prime Minister. Hannah was more experienced than he was.

Aiden pushed himself off the railing, taking in the sight of Hannah clutching her chest. She was hidden behind her glittering mask but her doe eyes searched him for his next words. She wasn’t unforgiving. They’d had a couple of rows before they cooled off for a couple weeks. She may have been hidden from view but the memory of Hannah’s distressed face ready to burst with anger and tears was still fresh and vivid in his mind. Despite how much flesh she displayed already the mask obscured her so well. It made an excellent shield. What was fun and playful a few minutes ago was an obstacle now.

“I love you Hannah. I can’t help wanting to be with you. And I’m not backing down. I’m going to keep fighting for you. I’m not spending another couple weeks apart. I can’t. But I can wait as long as it takes for…” he sighed, “for us to settle and make this work the best I can because I’m not giving up on you. You’re not getting rid of me that easily, not after what we’ve been through.”

Hannah creased her lips into a bashful smirk while shaking her head and peeled him off of leaning on the railing. She rubbed her thumbs along the backs of his hands before lifting one to her lips for a kiss. “You’re ridiculous.”

His chest puffed up. “I just -”

She pressed a finger to his lips. “I did miss you. You were just so angry and insistent and I don’t like that part of you.” She leaned in and let go of his hands to tug on his hips by his teal leather belt. “I like this one, the nervous high and mighty politician in fancy dress for his girlfriend.”

“Have you at least had a good time tonight? I mean aside from the bit, you know. How’s work?”

Her attention was far away, down on the garden below. His words floated right past her ears and landed on the little fountain that had captured her gaze. “Nobody’s out there.”

“What’re you thinking?”

“I’m thinking my boyfriend’s about to jump my bones, and if he’s gonna, I want it to be down there. It’s _gorgeous_ , Aiden.”

She wasn’t lying. Not exactly. He hadn’t planned on making his wishes so plain but if Hannah knew anything about him it was that hunger he had for her after a while apart. Or any time apart. Five minutes even. And she’d be the one woman that wouldn’t judge. She’d be the one taking his hand to lead him out the library ask security for a quieter entrance into the garden. Hannah didn’t need a special badge or a slip of money to get them to watch the garden doors for them. All that was needed was her demure smile in her warm kitten voice and they were sold. One blanched when he lifted his mask to thank them.

The garden was a tiny slice of wonderland hidden away from the world. It was protected from work, from the fact that they might take separate cars home, from their stresses and rows. The gentle trickling of the glimmering fountain washed his nerves away as Hannah danced past, wetting her fingers in its splash. The male crickets continued their concert while she led him further into the garden between manicured thickets dressed in fairy lights she delighted in cooing at. The canopy of trees was even thicker in the garden itself. They probably needed a good trimming but not at the expense of Hannah beaming at one tree reaching out to the next and commenting on all the sparkling lanterns hanging from branches. She stood at the base of an elderly willow tree, eying the branches as if she was about to climb it like a real cat would be inclined to. He could almost see a black tail flicking excitedly behind her. She should always be this carefree. He hadn’t known this Hannah when they met. Aiden fell in love with the confident and sweet temptress. He wanted nothing more in the world to spend the rest of his life with the carefree, giggling, affectionate, dorky Hannah. And he still didn’t have the stones to tell her. It’d be a long while before he would, if he ever could. He very much doubted that’d be something Hannah ever wanted.

“Quit thinking and fuck me, Aiden.”

He grimaced. “Don’t say that word. Not tonight,” he complained.

His wildcat was leaned up against the trunk of the tree and tugging him by his belt again, as if they’d floated down to the ground from the balcony, wasting no time. She lightly scratched his neck to coax his head back and his adam’s apple bobbed for her golden fingernails. For a moment Aiden surrendered to Hannah, swallowing a groan as she deftly removed his tie and folded it into his waistcoat pocket. She made quick work of his shirt buttons to reveal his chest and pushed him back to admire her work. The words “Mm that’s better,” were written on her foxy smile.

“What should I say then? You don’t want to scandalize this poor tree with me?” she hummed as she palmed his now bare chest. Leaning in, she licked the shell of his ear, plucking a guttural groan from his throat. Her whispered words simmered on his face and warmed his chest. “You don’t want to _fuck_ me, Aiden?”

Aiden’s erection returned with a vengeance, and his temptress knew it. Her eyes framed in the gold of the mask traveled south and she hummed approval at the tent found there. He clenched his fingers on his trousers and renewed his resolve with a hot sigh.

“I want to make love to you, Han. I want you on that little fountain over there, legs spread wide for me, while I make you just as wet. If you want. If that’s what you want. Whatever you like. Tonight’s for you.”

His pitch rose as she cupped his bulge through his trousers. His hips were well ahead of his ideas and bucked into her palm. He kicked his head back when she kept her hand there, massaging him in earnest. Blood fled his face and rushed to his cock beneath her hand. He was going to come in his pants if she didn’t stop. But he was firmly in her clutches, completely disarmed of his plans as long as her nimble, delicate fingers were wrapped around his length. New thoughts and desires began to invade his mind as she whirled them around, pinning him to the tree trunk. He opened his mouth to protest when she began working at his belt, but the clinking of metal and fingers nearing his throbbing length dampened his resolve.

“Hannah,” he croaked and moved to lift up his mask. She pulled it back down and kissed him, lips squeaking before she sucked his into her mouth. She’d had a cocktail, its fruity notes still sealed to her lips before he licked them right off as their masks knocked. He pulled away as she licked at the seem of his mouth to deepen the kiss. “You don’t have to do this. I meant what I said.”

“I know you did, but you’re so tense. Loosen up a bit,” she suggested.

The end of him was her hand working its way into her pants and cupping his manhood in earnest. He stiffened beneath her touch, beneath her delicate warmth wrapping around his throbbing length. Her shoulders rotated as her whole body moved with her strokes, breasts trembling and begging to be freed. He couldn’t decide if he wanted to rip her clothes off right there or throw her into a car so he could have her naked properly in his bed. He just wanted _her_ , however. She was melting away his plans with every stroke, tightening her grip on his cock, and fuck it felt divine being driven closer and closer to the edge. His muscles clenched, breath quickened, toes curled in his shoes as tension tightened in his groin. He liked to think he surrendered to her, that he’d succumbed to her ministrations. But she had him with a smile and a lick of her lips. He was always hers, attendant to her every whim and desire. But he couldn’t bear the sight of his goddess on her knees before him. Not tonight.

“No no no no,” Aiden protested, pulling at her hands on his hips. “Not that.”

“Relax darling, it’s okay.”

“It’s not.” He gulped. “It’s really not. I’ve paid… I’ve paid you for this so many times already. I don’t want… No. I just can’t.”

He had her standing up again before she could argue with him. He wasn’t having it. Fuck, she was so skilled in distracting him. But the memory of this magical night had to be filled with moments of pampering her because they had such precious little time to take away from the real world. Any other day he’d let Hannah have her way with him. She had. She was the one woman that enjoyed it. But she needed to relax too. She needed a release as much as he did. And he was shameless and selfish enough in his plans to woo her. There were few things more gorgeous than the sight of Hannah giving in to pleasure completely. Anything topping that was also related to Hannah anyway. He’d spent too much money on this ridiculous garb and too much time agonizing over every word and every move all for the sake of romancing the most important woman in his little universe to let her take the reins now.

“Just let me…” he kissed her as he sat her on the marble rim of a little fountain in their tucked away alcove of the garden, “have this. Please. Let me do this for you.”

Hannah tucked her flaxen curls behind her ear and smiled sheepishly as he knelt between her legs on his knees. His favorite smile of hers was that one. Pure and vulnerable Hannah. The most beautiful thing in creation, just for him. She agreed without a word and revealed a lovely blush for him after he untied the silky black ribbons to her mask and set it on the grass. He moved to take his off but she winked at him and whispered for him to keep it on. He obliged and dove in to kiss her neck while she was distracted. And as he tasted mild flesh at the join of her shoulder he lapped up the sweet song of her gasp for his efforts. She massaged his shoulders as his head dipped lower, sprinkling light kisses on every expanse of bare, delicious skin between her shoulders and breasts.

She wanted him there; right there, a high-pitched moan told him as he shamelessly sucked on the tender flesh bursting from her corset. She threaded her fingers through his hair, careful to not disturb his mask, as his teeth grazed her breast. He gripped the boning of the corset tight, growling at it for keeping him from some choice sweet spots beneath. Fuck it, he told himself, and feverishly worked at several rows of lacing; enough to free her breasts from the offending garment. She laughed, and he worked it into a purr as he took her in his mouth, working a bud up to blossom against the swirling of his tongue. She brought up his hand to the other side to palm the bare one as he worked until he switched. By the time he resurfaced she was practically melting into the fountain, her little sighs and purrs fading into the calm hymn of rushing water at her back.

“What’re you wearing under the skirt?” he whispered into the join of her arm and breast. His hand was adventuring south and all too eager to discover. But her lusty, low, rumbling voice was always a treat to his ears and he couldn’t help encouraging it.

“Thong,” she hummed back.

“God you’re so naughty Hannah,” he teased as he began a path down her arm.

“You love it.”

She shivered at a kiss planted inside her elbow, and sighed for the wet one left on her wrist. Venturing into uncharted territory yielded him delicious purrs of his name in encouragement. He was so eager to discover she was telling the truth but refused to rob himself of the chance to admire her gorgeous legs. She’d gone to the trouble of showing them off, so he’d be remiss if he didn’t turn the tables back on her and use them to tease her. She squirmed when he swirled his fingers over her knees, slipping down just to get his hands closer to her sweet spot. He glided them over her smooth thighs before dipping them beneath her frilled skirt. Aiden’s fingers found a bare hip and hummed approval as they traced the thin satin waistband. As long as he was in control he delighted in drawing out the moment, and heard no complaints from his placid tigress. He drew a line down her clothed sex, pressing into a throbbing little nub that greeted it. He asked if that’s where she wanted him and she keened approval. It was so tempting to slip a finger beneath the satin thong and claim his prize. But he resisted, instead letting the dampness soak it as it massaged her hot button under his thumb. The curtains of her eyes fell shut as he switched arms, beginning at her wrist to kiss his way back up to her shoulder.

“Touch me,” she commanded in a husky brogue.

“Patience, kitten,” he chided playfully.

“No,” she sassed, and tugged his wrist closer to her sex.

He found her again, treating the previously ignored side. “Hmm, making demands, are we?”

“You complaining?”

“Definitely not,” he decided. “How do you want me? Tell me how you want to be touched.”

He gently stroked the lips of her sex as he awaited her answer. “Rub my clit,” she ordered, and he slowly obliged. She hissed approval before continuing. “And…”

“Tell me.”

She spoke with her hand, gently guiding him where she wanted him, lowering his free fingers to her entrance. She had the words but he was by no means complaining about being shown. She wasn’t even looking, head thrown back, clothed eyes facing skyward. She was pulling at his wrist as he dipped a finger into her slick warmth as if he was any other toy, and fuck he wasn’t stopping her. Only his thumb moved, working deeper and deeper at the tightly coiled nerve endings under it. She praised him quietly and clamped her legs on his hips. Her fingers dug into the wet marble as her body stiffened before him. She was close already. Change of plans. He freed his wrist from her grasp and quickly removed her soaked knickers. Hannah nipped her lip at Aiden as he shoved her knees wide apart and dipped his head between them. Her approaching orgasm was _his_ to taste and drink in. He wouldn’t be deprived of it. He refused. He claimed her pleasure by capturing her clit between his lips. Hannah’s swears and moans of approval were music to his ears, salve to his pride after far too long apart. Fuck, he’d do whatever she wanted if she’d just let him have this when he could.

If anything he was so much more eager with her to prove his worth. He was worth a lot more than her hand clasped over mouth to muffle her screams. But when she soaked his fingers and her body curled in, trembling with pleasure he didn’t bloody care. Call him greedy, but he didn’t want anyone else having it. And as far as he was concerned, his shivering, panting goddess in that little garden wouldn’t surrender so much to anyone else if he had anything to do with it. She brought up dangerously primal thoughts from deep in his gut. Thoughts he ought to have long since quelled, because she belonged to nobody. He allowed them to take up residence in his mind only as long as he cherished her and treated her like the queen he felt she was.

He had her up against that tree again lickety-split. There was no teasing about his usual urge to display his male prowess. He was glad for it because he secretly worked out just to have the privilege of shoving his lover up against innocent walls and trees so he could prove he could hold her weight. Again, he was utterly shameless. Hannah was good for his health in numerous ways. He expected her legs to be jelly after what he’d done for her, but her heels dug into his arse tightly and her thighs had a deliciously vice-like grip on his hips. She made plain what they both wanted. But just in case, she whispered a salacious, “Fuck me,” into his ear after tossing his mask with hers into the grass. He finally bore himself to her as he carefully shifted his hips forward to join her. But he was still the showy peacock he’d dressed up as, and she was still the cat, with him well in her clutches as it ought be. Didn’t matter how much he hungered for her, there was no doubt in his mind who won out between them.

He momentarily ignored her urges to properly fuck her while he tested out his rhythm. A trip to A&E wasn’t on the agenda. But once he found his footing he happily followed her command, working her back up and finally reveling in his prize clutching him tight. All the games and teasing and appeals of love faded to the background with the rushing water, fairy lights, and crickets in favor of his heart throbbing in his ears and the sumptuous sounds of hips meeting wet flesh over and over again in reckless abandon. If they were caught in that instance it’d be a story the media would likely never forget. But buried deep in her and urged on by her peals of his name, he didn’t fucking care. Let them be jealous, he thought, as he thrust his hips hard and basked in her sharp gasping reward. He nibbled her wobbling lip as she told him she was going to come again and asked if he was close. Of course he was. He could’ve burst the moment her velvety warmth gloved his manhood.

He had to move her to the grass to finish because he could feel his legs buckling in anticipation of tumbling over the edge with her. A canopy of gold lanterns and green leaves shielded them as he praised her beauty into her neck and kicked back her thighs to deepen his angle. They’d laid claim to this little alcove of the garden just as she was doing the same with him (as if the notion had ever been contested). The world was shut out and problems were shunned for a few precious moments of shared love and much needed relief in selfishness rewarded by greedily taking pleasure from one another. His heart rattled its cage excitedly the closer he got to the edge, searching Hannah’s eyes but finding her already gone to her second or third climax and clutched him tight to keep him still. He croaked a swear and fought to stay upright as he let her legs fall to his thighs, spilling every drop of pent up tension inside her. She reached up and brought him down to her level just in time for him to collapse.

Leaving the masquerade and finding their way to Hannah’s flat in his car passed in one big blur. Their one night escape in wonderland held onto them tight as a quick kip renewed Aiden’s intentions to spoil his goddess completely and perfectly rotten despite her promise he had nothing to prove. He lavished her with attention and affection until his muscles turned to jelly and she collapsed on his chest. They hid in her deep purple covers from the sunrise and the responsibilities that crept up with it. One night didn’t change Hannah’s resolve to change her plans. For one night he’d pretended otherwise. What it did change was _his_ resolve to work that much harder to find time with her. Despite the previous night, she wasn’t an escape. She was his salvation in making him yearn more than anything to be a better man for her. He wasn’t kidding when he said he’d do anything for her. She fashioned him into a hopeless optimist with a goal in sight that he could never be robbed of as long as he loved her, no matter how frustratingly stubborn she was. He wasn’t giving up. She never said, or sometimes implied otherwise, but he knew she secretly hoped he’d keep peeling away at her stubbornness to nurture the trust beneath. Something was growing between them, and it was far too beautiful to let go off, no matter how turbulent life between them could be. Every day with her was a promise of some day seeing it blossom completely.

 

 


End file.
